Holy Paladin?

[Dr_Zaius]

Hey there folks, does anybody have anything written up for a Paladin variant inspired from Holy Paladins from World of Warcraft? It doesn't translate easily to 3.5 rules, but the idea of playing a Paladin who gives up some of his combat ability for greater spellcasting is a huge attraction for me. Unfortunately I am a country bumkin when it comes to writing up new classes or variants, so I was hoping somebody knew where I could find this type of class. Thanks!

[Snowbluff]

Without access to higher-level slots, this could be a pain.

Radiant Servant of Pelor might help.

A Cleric/Prestige Paladin could do some cutting and healing.

[Fenryr]

Homebrew only.

There ya go. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210539) This may help too. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8377)

[Eonir]

Well this (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872054/Alternative_Class_Features_III&post_num=52#338428258) is the mystic ranger, an ACF that trades some of the rangers martial abilities for far superior spellcasting. I would base it around that.

Perhaps this...

Lose: Remove Disease, Martial Weapon Proficiency (Holy Paladins use maces afterall), and smite evil.

Gain: Spellcasting starting at level one.

0th level:
create water, cure minor wounds, guidance, flare, light, mending, purify food and drink, resistance, virtue
5th level:
atonement, break enchantment, commune, cure critical wounds, hallow, righteous might.

Edit:

Homebrew only.

There ya go. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=210539) This may help too. (http://brilliantgameologists.com/boards/index.php?topic=8377)

The Devoted Paladin looks very nice.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Hey there folks, does anybody have anything written up for a Paladin variant inspired from Holy Paladins from World of Warcraft? It doesn't translate easily to 3.5 rules, but the idea of playing a Paladin who gives up some of his combat ability for greater spellcasting is a huge attraction for me. Unfortunately I am a country bumkin when it comes to writing up new classes or variants, so I was hoping somebody knew where I could find this type of class. Thanks!

Is there really anything wrong with a cleric devoted to a war-deity? Heironeus, in core, and Helm, Torm, or Tempus; in FR, would make for fine choices for a holy crusader of a cleric.

[Eldan]

How about just playing a cleric? All the martial prowess of a paladin, with tons of divine spellcasty goodness!

[Dr_Zaius]

Wow, great and speedy replies! Thanks already!

The Radiant Servent is something I looked at for a bit, and though I am not discounting it I am looking more towards mixing Clerics and Paladins. That's the same reason I didn't want to pick a Cleric with a War domain, because I like the Paladin fluff. A Cleric with the War domain is still a Cleric, and there is nothing wrong with that, but the strict nature of a Paladin is what I like.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Wow, great and speedy replies! Thanks already!

The Radiant Servent is something I looked at for a bit, and though I am not discounting it I am looking more towards mixing Clerics and Paladins. That's the same reason I didn't want to pick a Cleric with a War domain, because I like the Paladin fluff. A Cleric with the War domain is still a Cleric, and there is nothing wrong with that, but the strict nature of a Paladin is what I like.

Start as a cleric, then dip into prestige paladin. All of the CoC 'goodness' without all of the paladin 'suck.'


I don't actually think paladins suck, and CoC is neither a good thing or a bad thing IMO.

[Devils_Advocate]

There's nothing keeping a cleric from being just as strict as a paladin. You could have a cleric devoted to the paladin code of conduct who would fall under all of the same circumstances and everything. (Similarly, a cleric could be devoted to nature in exactly the same way as a druid.)

This is probably how clerics of the paladin god of paladins (whoever that is in the setting you're playing in) should work anyhow.

A Cleric of Heironeous with the Good and War domains makes a pretty good spellcaster version of a paladin, really.

Alternately, Fighter 2/Cleric 3/Prestige Paladin (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/classes/prestigiousCharacterClasses.htm#prestigePaladin) 15 gives a bit more spellcasting. Prestige Paladin is a pretty good variant if you think that paladins seem too specific and/or exclusive for a base class.

It also lets a DM turn paladinhood into something that the player and player character earn (or fail to earn). That is to say: An aspiring paladin who has shown sufficient devotion to honor and justice can join this elite order of holy warriors. One who doesn't... well, at least doesn't lose any class features due to turning out not to quite fit those ideals.